LCA capture washers
03-12-2017, 08:37 AM
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LCA capture washers
To replace the lower control arm bushings you have to first remove the giant capture washers that are pressed onto the center sleeve. The sleeve has a little rim that is thinner they just baaaarely fit onto.
In the process of doing mine I managed to mess up the little ridge so they won't all really pretty onto it (they have to be perfectly round).
It got me to thinking though - what is the purpose of these washers, and why must they be pressed onto that ridge? I assume they are there so that the bushing (which is now poly) won't slide around inside the hole, or be rubbing against the control arm frame mounts...?
If that's the case, then would it really matter/be a big deal to ground down those lips so that remains sort of separate from the LCAs but are still pinned in place by tightening the mounting/adjusting bolt that goes through them? I'm still not convinced they are even necessary. I mean yes, probably for 100,000 mile bushing longevity but lets face it this truck and suspension will not see that much future, at least before I have to replace them for some other reason.
In the process of doing mine I managed to mess up the little ridge so they won't all really pretty onto it (they have to be perfectly round).
It got me to thinking though - what is the purpose of these washers, and why must they be pressed onto that ridge? I assume they are there so that the bushing (which is now poly) won't slide around inside the hole, or be rubbing against the control arm frame mounts...?
If that's the case, then would it really matter/be a big deal to ground down those lips so that remains sort of separate from the LCAs but are still pinned in place by tightening the mounting/adjusting bolt that goes through them? I'm still not convinced they are even necessary. I mean yes, probably for 100,000 mile bushing longevity but lets face it this truck and suspension will not see that much future, at least before I have to replace them for some other reason.
